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One of the most popular forms of birth control, condoms are the most commonly used birth control method used by men. In fact, 18 percent of couples cite condoms, or rubbers, as their birth control method of choice, making them the third most popular choice after the pill and female sterilization.

What Is a Condom?

A male condom is a sheath, usually made of latex (although they can also be made of polyurethane or animal membrane), that covers a man's penis before it comes into contact with a woman's vagina. When the man ejaculates, the condom collects the semen, reducing the likelihood of it entering the woman’s uterus or fallopian tubes where fertilization could occur

How Effective Are Condoms?

Used on its own, the male condom is about 85 percent effective in preventing pregnancy, according to the Mayo Clinic, meaning that 15 percent of women whose partners use condoms will get pregnant. However, if you use a vaginal spermicide together with a condom, the effectiveness rate goes up to about 95 percent.

Safer Sex with Condoms

As well as birth control, condoms give you added protection against sexually transmitted diseases and reduce the risk of HIV infection more than any other form of birth control. However, condoms made from animal skin, rather than latex (which are ideal for people with latex allergies) offer less protection because they have tiny holes that are big enough to allow viruses to pass through. Also, if a spermicide that's used with condoms irritates the skin, condoms become a less effective barrier against infection.

Protection against sexually transmitted infections is an important consideration. Chlamydia infections recently reached an all-time high in the United States, and the incidence of other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), such as gonorrhea and syphillis, is also on the rise. The benefits of condoms are clearer than ever.

"Next to abstinence, consistent use of condoms is the most reliable way of preventing HIV transmission and is effective in preventing other transmissible diseases and unintended pregnancy as well," says David Katz, MD, MPH, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine.

How to Store and Handle Condoms

Good, routine care is necessary to preserve the integrity of a condom. Guidelines include:

Condoms must be kept away from direct sunlight and should not be left in warm places, such as your car or wallet, according to the American Social Health Association.

Latex condoms should not be used with oil-based products, such as Vaseline or baby oil, because these can weaken the latex.

Condoms can be used with water-based lubricants, however, as well as spermicides.

A condom can fail if it is too old. So do not use condoms that are past their expiration date.

How to Use a Condom

Proper placement is essential for the condom to do its job properly.

Put the condom on before the penis comes into contact with the vagina or anus.

Remove a condom from its wrapper, taking care not to tear it with fingernails or teeth, just before you intend to use it. Never unroll a condom first and then attempt to put it on.

Hold the tip to squeeze out any air.

Unroll it over the erect penis, leaving space at the top for the semen.

After ejaculation, the condom should be held in place at the base of the penis before withdrawal.

Bottom Line on Condoms: Condoms are widely available, relatively inexpensive, and easy to use and a good way to reduce the spread of sexually-transmitted disease and the possibility of an unplanned pregnancy.